The Graduate Handbook

The Graduate Handbook is intended to guide students through the program. It lists the work that students must complete, discusses supervision and advising, defines progress milestones, explains the dissertation process, presents an overview about financial aid, describes other aspects of the program, and identifies departmental and campus resources.

2024 Graduate Program Handbook (applicable to students entering the program in Fall 2024 and beyond). 

2023 Graduate Program Handbook (applicable to students who entered the program prior to Fall 2024). 

 

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
  • Coursework

  • For students who entered the program prior to Fall 2024: 

    Students must complete 45 units of coursework at a grade of A- or higher.  Graduate seminars normally consist of 4 units and 11-12 courses are normally required to complete the necessary course work for the Ph.D. program. Graduate seminars must be completed with a grade of A- or higher in order to fulfill the degree requirements for the Ph.D.  A typical set of courses would include: 1. Philosophy, Method and Theory of History: 4 units, History 204 (Historiography). 2. Major field research seminar: 12 units, History 203 is a full-year (3-course) sequence normally taken in the second year. The goal of the research seminar is to produce a substantial piece of original scholarship. 3. Major field reading seminars: 16 units, normally taken as 4 graded reading seminars. If you already have an M.A. in History, you need only take 3 graded reading seminars in your major field (but you must still meet the 45 unit requirement). 4. Minor field reading seminars: 8 units, normally taken as 2 graded reading seminars. 5. Third field reading seminar: 4 units, normally taken as 1 additional graded reading seminar from any history field (other than the major and minor field), or from another discipline. 6. TA Training Seminar: At least 1 unit of History 389 is required of all students.

    For student who entered the program in Fall 2024 and after: 

    Graduate seminars must complete 53 units (normally 14 courses) of coursework at a grade of A- or higher. A typical set of courses would include:
    1. Philosophy, Method and Theory of History: 4 units, History 204 (Historiography).
    2. Research Seminars: 16 units, comprises of two 2-quarter courses, each with the goal of producing a substantial piece of original scholarship. History 200 (First-Year Research Seminar) is normally taken in the Winter/Spring of the first year, and History 203 is normally taken in the Fall/Winter of the second year.
    3. Major field reading seminars: 16 units, normally taken as 4 graded reading seminars. If you already have an M.A. in History, you need only take 3 graded reading seminars in your major field (but you must still meet the 53 unit requirement).
    4. Minor field reading seminars: 8 units, normally taken as 2 graded reading seminars.
    5. Third field reading seminar: 4 units, normally taken as 1 additional graded reading seminar from any history field (other than the major and minor field), or from another discipline.
    6. One additional elective seminar: 4 units, normally taken as 1 additional graded reading seminar from any history field or from another discipline of the students’ choosing that is relevant to their program of study.
    7. TA Training Seminar: At least 1 unit of History 389 is required of all students.
    Reading seminars are denominated either as History 201, History 202 or History 298.
    • History 201 courses cover the sources and general literature of history and are designed to prepare students for examinations by critical analysis of the literature.
    • History 202 courses cover targeted issues in historical interpretation and offer a closer, more specialized examination of fundamental issues and debates in history.
    • History 298 directed reading seminars may be taken for 1-4 units to meet the necessary unit requirements. These are customized seminars, with specific requirements as arranged between you and the professor who agrees to work with you. Reading seminars can be repeated for credit when a different subject area is studied.
    Additional research seminars (History 211-291) may be substituted with the permission of your Major Professor and the GPC.

  • Fields of Study 

  • You will choose one Major Field from the following list. You will also choose a Minor Field from the following list. You may choose two Minor Fields if one of them is World History.
    Major or Minor Fields
    (a) Africa
    (b) Europe
    (g) United States
    (h) China
    (i) Japan
    (j) Latin America
    (k) Middle East
    (l) Science & Medicine
    (m) South Asia
    Additional Minor-only Fields
    1. World History
    2. Women’s and Gender History
    3. Environmental History
    4. Non-history minors in consultation with major advisor.
    Students may also elect to complete an interdisciplinary Designated Emphasis (DE) in addition to or in place of their Minor Field. 
  • Foreign Language Certification
  • Students are required to pass at least one foreign language examination. Depending on your major field, you may be required to demonstrate competency in more than one language. During this two-hour exam, students are asked to translate a primary or secondary source document with the assistance of a print dictionary.
  • Minor Field Certification

  • After completing two graduate seminar courses and under the direction of a faculty member, students develop a syllabus for a course outside of their major field of interest. Students then complete a 15–20 page, historiographical and analytical essay justifying the choices of readings and interpretation embedded in the syllabus.

    This certification is intended to prepare students to have an alternate course they are prepared to teach for when they go on the job market.

    Students who are completing a designated emphasis (see below) do not need to complete a minor field certification.

  • Designated Emphases (DE)

  • A designated emphasis a more formalized minor that is listed on your diploma. Students who are completing a designated emphasis (see below) do not need to complete a minor field certification. As part of the DE, students are required to answer an additional question on the qualifying examination. The Department of History is affiliated with the following DEs:

    African American and African Studies
    Classics and Classical Receptions
    Program in Critical Theory
    Feminist Theory and Research
    Human Rights
    Native American Studies
    Science and Technology Studies
    Study of Religion

  • Preliminary Exam (Comprehensive Major Field Exam) 

  • Students become eligible to take the preliminary examination after completing the above requirements. This examination consists of both a written and oral portion. During the written portion, students answer three essay questions over the course of four hours. The oral portion is a one-hour continuance of the written portion, in which committee members may ask for elaboration regarding the written answers or may ask follow up questions regarding the subject area.

    The content and scope of the qualifying examination varies by field.

  • Qualifying Exam
  • This usually is the last requirement to be completed before a student advances to candidacy. In consultation with the major professor and committee members, students prepare a lengthy essay defining the dissertation problem and method, identify major sources, and situate the project in the relevant historiography. Over the course of two hours, committee members examine the student on all aspects of the proposal. The members of this committee should mirror the members of the dissertation committee.
  • Dissertation Completion 
  • Upon your completion of your dissertation, you will submit it to the members of your
    Dissertation Reading Committee. The committee should be given four weeks to read the
    final draft. They will review it and may either certify its acceptance or require such
    revisions as they deem necessary. Upon receipt of this certification, the GPC will
    normally recommend the award of the Ph.D. degree.